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All certifications (except CAG) must be renewed every year between October 1st and December 31st for the following year. The renewal is free of charge.

Non-renewed certifications (other than CAG) automatically become expired. Expired certifications can be renewed within one year of expiration for a fee of $195. If an expired certification is not renewed within one year of expiration, it is automatically cancelled. Cancelled certifications may then be reactivated within one year of cancellation subject to successfully completing the WGGE (Wilderness Guide General Examination) at a cost of $195. Cancelled certifications certifications that are not reactivated within one year of cancellation are permanently and irreversibly cancelled. There is possible waiver or exception.

In summary, as long as you renew your certification on time, within a 3 month period, every year, there is no cost to you. If you fail to renew within the allocated time, the cost to reactivate is $195, and such reactivation will require the re-taking of the exam if not completed within a year.

If you wish to renew your currently expired certification: You must do so no later than December 31st, 2017, 23:59 PST. Go to https://www.pawgi.org/renewal/ and submit your payment upon sending your renewal. Applications will not be processed until payment is received. If your renewal is not received by the above deadline, it will be cancelled without further notice. If your certification is not reactivated within a year of cancellation, it will be permanently and irreversibly cancelled.

If you do not wish to renew your currently expired certification: Your license to use PAWGI materials and logo is hereby terminated. You must therefore remove all reference to PAWGI from all marketing materials, business cards, letters, web sites, etc..

All 2017 Renewal submitted up to December 31st, 2016, 23h59 PST have been processed.

As per new standards that came into effect on January 1st, 2016, there was no fee for such renewal, and no new certification will be issued. Your current certification document remains valid.

Note that if you did not renew your certification by December 31st, 2016, 23h59 PST, your certification has expired. Any certification renewal submitted after December 31st, 2016 therefore requires a reactivation fee of $195, a standard update, and will not be processed until payment is received.

Also note that CAG certifications remain active and do not need yearly renewal since the new standards came into effect on January 1st, 2016.

Note that the following types of certificates (all levels: CAG, CWG, CSG, CWI, and CWIT), issued between 1998 and 2010 for the first style, and between 2011 and 2015 for the second style, will become invalid and cease to be in force as of January 1, 2016.

If you currently hold a certificate in any of these styles, you must renew your certification to receive an updated certificate by December 31, 2015.

As a PAWGI Member, you must renew your certification by December 31st of every year. The renewal process ensures compliance with currency requirements and PAWGI standards. Failure to renew your certification by the due date automatically results in the suspension of your certification and certification privileges.

As of next renewal year, renewals for non-expired certifications will be free of charge. You are nonetheless required to renew your certification for the current year, for a flat fee of $50, prior to December 31, 2015.

Note that the flat fee of $50 also applies to expired certifications, and this is your last chance to keep your certification current before new standards come into effect on January 1st, 2016). Certifications that have not been renewed by December 31, 2015 will either be automatically cancelled, or subject to a $195 renewal fee.

This is an important message to advise all certification holders whose certification is expired, or due to expire this year, that all certifications that have not been renewed by December 31st, 2015, 11:59pm PST will be automatically cancelled.

In 2014 alone, 267 certification holders failed to renew their certification, and requested special exemptions. This placed unmanageable strain on PAWGI, which is operated by volunteers.

Under the new streamlined PAWGI structure, there is no longer any allocated resources to accommodate hundreds of certification holders who are non-compliant. A new third-party controlled certification system also makes it impossible to overwrite any system mandated process.

As a result, certifications that are not renewed by December 31st, 2015 at 11:59pm PST will be permanently and irreversibly cancelled as of January 1, 2016.